Anti-fouling Paints and Coatings

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a materials such as a coating, an elastomer, an adhesive, a sealant, a textile finish, a wax, and a filler for such a material, wherein the material includes an proteinaceous molecule such as a peptide and/an enzyme that confer a metal binding, an anti-fouling and/or an antibiotic property to the material. In particular, discosed herein are marine coatings such as a marine paint that comprise an anti-fouling peptide sequence that reversibly binds a metal cation that is toxic to a fouling organism. Also disclosed herein are methods of reducing fouling on a surface by treating the surface with a metal binding peptide.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of facilitating the removal of a biological fouling on a substrate or a coating comprising: providing a liquid coating material; associating a thermolysin peptidase with said coating material to form a liquid bioactive coating material such that said peptidase is capable of enzymatically degrading a component of a biological fouling. 
     
     
         22 . A composition for facilitating biological fouling removal comprising: a liquid coating material; and a thermolysin peptidase, said peptidase capable of degrading a biological fouling component and associated with said coating to form a liquid bioactive coating. 
     
     
         23 . A water-stabilized bioactive coating composition comprising:
 a polymeric binder;   an enzyme associated with said polymeric binder; and   a first polyethylene glycol associated with said polymeric binder, said first polymeric binder independent of said enzyme; wherein said polymeric binder, said enzyme, and said first polyethylene glycol form a water-stabilized active coating composition.   
     
     
         24 . A water-stabilized active coating composition comprising:
 a polymeric binder;   a chemically modified enzyme dispersed within said polymeric binder, said enzyme chemically modified with one or more molecules of a first polyethylene glycol.   
     
     
         25 . A process of stabilizing the activity of an enzyme against water weathering in a coating composition comprising:
 associating one or more polymeric moieties with an enzyme to form a chemically modified enzyme; and   dispersing said chemically modified enzyme in a polymeric binder to form a water-stabilized active coating material.